sewaholic

what I’m wearing: 24 weeks

2 Comments / maternity, what i'm wearing / February 17, 2019

What I'm wearing at 24 weeks

Or, “it’s so overcast that I can only get enough light if I face the same direction in every photo.”

None of my own makes except for the Rae skirt, which is still holding up wonderfully (of course, it’s just a skirt with an elastic waistband). I love the fit of this basic white top from H&M. It’s so simple, but it fits perfectly into my typical wardrobe. Unfortunately it’s getting a bit short and I fear I may be stretching it beyond recovery, so I think I’ll attempt to make a maternity-version using the Agnes pattern (simple neckline, no gathers, short sleeves).

What I'm wearing at 24 weeks

Here you can see the striped knit dress I complained about last week, dressed up a bit more for work with a sparkly headband and a blazer.

What I'm wearing at 24 weeks

This tunic is one of two things I still fit in during the last few weeks of my first pregnancy. It’s not meant for maternity, but my mom bought it and ended up not liking it. It is, essentially, a giant sack of a shirt, but it works. I don’t really like anything about it except that it’s long and it fits. Maybe it’s time to trace my own version in a more appealing color? I have a navy/white striped knit that could be much cuter.

What I'm wearing at 24 weeks

This is a riff on what I wear probably 90% of the time when the weather is chilled enough for it, pregnant or not. Collared shirt, sweater, skinny jeans, ankle boots. I’m wearing a navy shirt that used to belong to my husband that I added elastic to using an idea from Megan Nielsen’s DIY Maternity blog. It’s not really cute enough on its own, but works well under a sweater.

What I'm wearing at 24 weeks

From now on, third trimester! Finally getting close to the end, although it’s only going to get more difficult to dress the bump from now on!

Rae skirt

2 Comments / maternity, my makes / February 17, 2019

This was my first piece of handmade clothing, the Rae skirt from Sewaholic.

Rae skirt (pattern by Sewaholic), made by Small Bobbins

It’s still serving me quite well, it’s a simple skirt with an elastic waist and… that’s pretty much it. No pockets, no complicated details.

I initially went for the midi-length version, but I thought the shape ended up looking too wide at the bottom. Midi-length skirts seem to work really well on some ladies, but I don’t seem to be one of them (although I’ll keep trying!), so I cut a solid chunk off and re-hemmed it, and now I’m super pleased. My (pre-pregnancy) sizing went all over the place, but I probably could’ve ended up sewing a straight size 8; like I said, it reads a bit too wide for me.

The fabric is something I call “babushka paisley”. I bought it in Kyrgyzstan (where I lived for 3 years) in a large quantity (5 meters, if I remember correctly) for a very small price (probably the equivalent to €1/meter), to have a designer make a dress for me. She refused, because the fabric is typically used to make a tushuk, a large cushion that is popular in Kyrgyz households for sleeping or lounging. She said the fabric was too stiff, but one wash softened it up just fine. I’ve been using it as my practice fabric until I feel more comfortable hacking into the rest of my stash, even though I think this skirt turned out quite wearable.

Rae skirt

(Here I am cradling my 24-week bump; the skirt is still going strong, but bare legs are gone for the next 9 months.)

The pattern itself is super easy, great for an absolute beginner (like I was). I wish it had pockets though! I would maybe attempt to add some on a second version, except the skirt is made up of six panels, so there’s not really a side seam where it’s convenient to add them. But really, a woven skirt with an elastic waist, it’s hard to go wrong, and transitions seamlessly (har har) between normal and maternity wardrobes.